Overcoming Obstacles
by Seraphina
Summary: A handicapped Usagi deals with college and friends, while attempting to learn about a dark haired student named Mamoru, whose mysterious background piques her interest...and something else.
1. Chapter 1

Soft voices spoke from a place unknown to the
    
    Soft voices spoke from a place unknown to the
    
    listener.They spoke of grave problems and sadness,
    
    but the listener knew nothing of that.The young girl
    
    sat in silence, unable to reply.Unable to scream in
    
    frustration at this helplessness.Unable to defend
    
    herself from the pain that coursed through their body.
    
     
    
    "Will she survive?"The deep voiced one asked
    
    quietly.
    
    "Yes, the poor girl.She will be paralyzed from the
    
    waist down for the rest of her life." The melodic
    
    voice replied.
    
    "Dr. Mizuno, are you sure there isn't anything that
    
    can be done?"
    
    "Absolutely certain.This girl will have to learn to
    
    live with this."
    
    "She is only 8!What is she supposed to do? Grin and
    
    bear it?"
    
    "What other choice does she have?"
    
     
    
    The listener finally understood the words.Tears
    
    slowly seeped from beneath the closed eyes as the
    
    words sunk in.Tsukino Usagi, victim of a terrible
    
    accident, would never be able to walk again…
    
     
    
     
    
     
    
    Chapter 1
    
    Twelve years later…
    
     
    
    Usagi stretched her hand into the dark area, reaching
    
    for an object she believed to be unattainable.Her
    
    hand grasped a lightly weighted package and she slowly
    
    pulled it toward herself.Finally…
    
     
    
    "YES!"Her voice echoed throughout the small suburban
    
    neighborhood.Housewives stopped hanging their
    
    laundry and babies stopped crying for a moment to see
    
    what the commotion was about.All they saw was Usagi
    
    quickly wheeling quickly towards her house.There was
    
    a large shrug of indifference and all peace returned
    
    to the community.
    
     
    
    Usagi rushed into the house, her pale blond hair loose
    
    and flowing.She frantically glanced around for her
    
    mother who had been in the process of digging into the
    
    newest romance novel called Hanazakari no Kimitachi e
    
    (AN: THIS MANGA RULES!!).She found her mother
    
    oblivious to everything but her book.Usagi wheeled
    
    herself over to her mother, waving something in her
    
    face.
    
     
    
    "What do you have there, dear?" She asked
    
    distractedly.Her mind still stuck on the story in
    
    front of her.
    
     
    
    "I got a letter from the college, Mom!! I got a letter
    
    from the college! I…I'm so nervous and excited! What
    
    if I didn't get into it?Will you read it for me? I'm
    
    so nervous!"Usagi's words all blended together into
    
    one long sentence as her mother blinked her eyes at
    
    her.Usagi continued to stare at her mother
    
    expectantly, as she waited for her to take the letter
    
    from her hand that was slowly waving in front of her
    
    mother's face.
    
     
    
    "You want me to read that for you? Oh no. You have to
    
    do that all on your own.I went through that before
    
    with your brother.He read his and got into his
    
    college, and I'm sure that you will be in the college
    
    you want as well.Just read it."
    
     
    
    Usagi sighed, annoyed with her mother, then ripped
    
    into the letter.Her eyes quickly skimmed the letter,
    
    searching for words like "denied" and "you'll never
    
    get into here, what the devil were you thinking, you
    
    silly girl".Instead, her gaze landed upon the word,
    
    "Congratulations".Her bright blue eyes filled with
    
    tears as she met her mother's eyes.Ikuko leaned
    
    forward and hugged her daughter, assuming that she had
    
    not gotten into the college of her dreams.
    
     
    
    "Mom…" Usagi managed to say quietly.
    
     
    
    "Yes, dear?"Her mother responded gently, assuming
    
    the worst.
    
     
    
    "I GOT IN! I GOT IN!" She screamed, forgetting how
    
    close she was to her mother's ear.
    
     
    
    Her mother jerked back against the couch, moaning. 
    
    Her ears will never be the same again.She put her
    
    hands gently to her deafened ears, and then smiled
    
    proudly at her daughter."You got in? I am so proud
    
    of you! We will have to celebrate tonight! We can go
    
    out to eat at your favorite restaurant!"
    
     
    
    "Really? 'Naoko's Fine Cuisine'?I love their food!
    
    I'll go change and be ready when dad comes home." 
    
    Usagi maneuvered herself through the living room
    
    furniture to her large bedroom, the rubber wheels
    
    making a soft noise on the hardwood floor.
    
     
    
    Ikuko picked up the white cordless phone and called
    
    her husband at work, explaining the situation.After
    
    finishing the conversation, she called her son,
    
    requesting that he come home to celebrate.Once she
    
    was finished with the calls, she went to see if Usagi
    
    needed any help changing.
    
     
    
     
    
    ***** Five Months Later *****
    
     
    
    Usagi, sitting in the backseat of the van, stared out
    
    the tinted windows with wonder.Her dark sunglasses
    
    helping to keep the sun from her eyes as she looked
    
    around herself, drinking everything up.She couldn't
    
    believe it.College.Away from her overprotective
    
    family for once.They just couldn't believe that she
    
    had grown up…and that she had forgiven them years ago
    
    for the tragic accident that deprived her of her
    
    ability to walk.Their guilt stemmed from the fact
    
    that no one else in the car had been seriously
    
    injured.Sure, her brother had broken his left arm,
    
    but that was easily fixed.Her mother and father had
    
    only gotten some minor scratches and bruises, but… she
    
    had gotten the brunt of it.Usagi shook her head
    
    mentally, far too excited by the future to dwell on
    
    the past.
    
     
    
    Ikuko, the ever-safe driver, slowly made her way
    
    around a sharp turn, revealing the college in the
    
    distance ahead.The dark trees canopied the narrow,
    
    private road leading to Tsukasa's School of Business,
    
    the most prestigious of its kind in the United States.
    
     Usagi drew her breath in sharply.Never in her
    
    wildest dreams did she imagine such splendor.She
    
    began to breathe more quickly; sharp rasps filling the
    
    air as she practically hyperventilated.Who is going
    
    to like a wheelchair-bound girl?Will she make any
    
    friends? How is she going to make it for the next four
    
    years by herself?
    
     
    
    "M-mo-om?" Usagi shakily got out.
    
     
    
    "Hmm?"Ikuko looked at Usagi through the rearview
    
    mirror.
    
     
    
    "Mom, I…I don't think I can do this.Let's just turn
    
    around right here; there is no need to go any further.
    
     I have made my decision."
    
     
    
    Ikuko laughed quietly."It will be alright.Just
    
    take a deep breath, we will be there any second and
    
    you'll see how easy it'll be."Her motherly urges
    
    begged her to agree and turn around, but she knew in
    
    her heart that this was a better place for Usagi to
    
    be, rather than hanging around at home.
    
     
    
    They arrived far too quickly for Usagi's mind to be at
    
    peace with her final decision.Fear still clamped
    
    down upon her, unwilling to let her take a deep breath
    
    and calm herself.It demanded that she pay attention
    
    and realize this was definitely not the place for her
    
    right now.Go home, it urged, be with your family. 
    
    The quiet voices chanted softly in her mind, urging
    
    her to go home.I'll be all right, she thought as she
    
    attempted to cheerlead herself into the idea.I
    
    always wanted this; I'll be just fine.I will make
    
    friends and will learn so much; I'll be a true genius.
    
     Usagi smiled inwardly, braced her shoulders, and
    
    waited for her mother's assistance from the van. 
    
    There was a quiet metal whurring sound as the ramp was
    
    extended for her to get out.Hastily she wheeled
    
    herself from the van before she could curl up into a
    
    ball and try to hide.
    
     
    
    It wasn't but five minutes later that she was lead to
    
    her new dorm room, a small one-bedroom equipped for
    
    handicapped students just off the entrance.The room
    
    definitely needed improvements, and she was easily
    
    equipped with posters and pictures to make the room
    
    more hers.Her mother helped her unpack before she
    
    left, hugging her daughter and kissing her cheek
    
    softly, leaving some tears on Usagi's cheeks.
    
     
    
    Finally…I am my own person.I live alone and this is
    
    all mine, surveying the small area that was to be her
    
    home for the year."Well, one must make do what one
    
    has, correct?"She muttered to herself.
    
     
    
    Once she arranged the photos around her room and had
    
    hung pictures up of her favorite artists as well as a
    
    very large 'Sailor Moon' wall scroll on her wall, she
    
    decided it was time to explore.
    
     
    
    She exited her room and went out the front door,
    
    making sure that she had her key in a safe place. 
    
    Usagi raised her face up to the sky as she made her
    
    way down the sidewalk, basking in the heat of the late
    
    August sun.Her attention centered upon other things,
    
    she was not paying attention to where she was going,
    
    and neither was her soon-to-be victim.Once they
    
    collided, there was loud cursing as the person in
    
    question quickly brushed of their pants and turned a
    
    pair of flaming blue eyes toward Usagi.
    
     
    
    "Watch where you are going!" He snarled as he stalked
    
    past her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2
    
    Chapter 2
    
     
    
     
    
    Usagi watched the irate man walk far, far away from
    
    her.Good riddance, she thought, as she stiffly
    
    pushed herself away from the scene of the crime. 
    
    There was no use getting worked up over that mishap,
    
    but she couldn't help but think about the guy as she
    
    roamed around campus, dodging students left and right.
    
     Her thoughts wandered back to the eyes… so blue.His
    
    eyes, The Stranger's eyes, were so angry and hurt. 
    
    Quickly shaking off the feeling that she should help
    
    him, she entered the campus bookstore so she could
    
    spend all of her summer earnings on one semester worth
    
    of books.
    
     
    
    Usagi, along with the other students in the bookstore,
    
    sighed as they looked at the prices of the books,
    
    bemoaning the fact that they wouldn't be able to
    
    afford attending other fun activities.The phrases of
    
    the day were, "Oh my GOD!" and "Damn…" as the price
    
    tags came into focus.Muttering as she picked up
    
    books for her classes, she placed them on her lap and
    
    continued down the aisle, looking up books for her
    
    Politics and Society in the Middle East course. 
    
    "Three books?! Who needs to read three books on the
    
    subject? And why do they cost over 50.00 apiece? This
    
    is such a rip off!"She exclaimed into the open air,
    
    attracting looks and nods of agreement from other
    
    students.
    
     
    
    One student was daring enough to talk to her.She
    
    looked down at Usagi, her green eyes bright with humor
    
    and declared, "I swear, I spend more money here than I
    
    do shopping for shoes.How is that fair?"
    
     
    
    Usagi laughed as she replied, "It isn't! I'm Tsukino
    
    Usagi, and you are…?"
    
     
    
    "Kino Makoto at your service!"She turned back to the
    
    books after introducing herself.Usagi stared at the
    
    back of her head for a minute, debating whether or not
    
    she should attempt a longer conversation when Makoto
    
    spoke up again, "So, are you nervous about being here?
    
     
    
    "Nervous? I'm totally scared! What dorm are you
    
    staying in?"
    
     
    
    "Jupiter Hall, room 224, you?"
    
     
    
    "Same!Wow!I'm in room 102, though."Usagi's blue
    
    eyes were bright with excitement; maybe college
    
    wouldn't be as bad as she thought.She paused her
    
    thoughts, biting her lower lip lightly as she thought
    
    about how people usually react to her right away.The
    
    looks of pity and their nervousness around her were
    
    always an annoyance.
    
     
    
    "Umm… do you want to stop by my dorm room later?" 
    
    Usagi said with a rush, attempting to appear that she
    
    was confident as she stared nervously at the cover of
    
    her Pre-Calculus book.
    
     
    
    "Let's see… what am I doing today?I think I can fit
    
    you in between my acupuncture appointment and my date
    
    with the football team…or did you want to join us?"
    
     
    
    "Hmm… that is soo tempting, since I have had a chance
    
    to get a good look at the football team as I was
    
    entering here.Okay, I'll join you!"Usagi giggled a
    
    bit, knowing she'd met someone she could really talk
    
    to, that actually overlooked her handicap.
    
     
    
    "So, whatcha doin' sitting in that chair, anyway?
    
    Stand tall!" Makoto looked over at Usagi and gave her
    
    a double take."Oh! I never even noticed you were in
    
    a wheelchair! When did that happen?"
    
     
    
    "When I was 8…a car accident. Old news, really." 
    
     
    
    "Hmm…alright! So, are you almost done? Wanna head back
    
    to the dorms?"
    
     
    
    "Sure, if you want to pay for my books!"Usagi
    
    scooted behind Makoto as she made room for her in
    
    line.
    
     
    
    "Like hell! I can hardly afford my own!"Makoto
    
    laughed, trying to patiently wait behind the long rows
    
    of students paying for books they really didn't want. 
    
    Her arms getting heavy, she shifted her books and
    
    looked around at the other students.Most stood
    
    silently, their expressions one of resignation as they
    
    waited to spend their hard earned money.One person
    
    stood out, her blond hair whipped around as she talked
    
    animatedly to everyone around her.
    
     
    
    Makoto kept up the idle chatter for the 20-minute wait
    
    to get to the front of the line.Once they left the
    
    bookstore, Usagi started to become nervous.What if
    
    Makoto didn't like her once she got to know her
    
    better?There never really seemed to be a situation
    
    where Usagi didn't like someone, but there was a fear
    
    that they wouldn't like her.Usagi sighed softly,
    
    trying to conquer her fear before they entered the
    
    dorms.
    
     
    
    "Wait until you meet these girls I met the first
    
    night!! They are the best, Usagi! They said they
    
    should be in their dorm room later today, so we can
    
    try to stop by there later."
    
     
    
    "Uh…okay!"She tried to muster up enough enthusiasm
    
    for the proper response.Meeting new people?How
    
    many new people? Oh God…it's too late to turn back
    
    now!She straightened her shoulders slightly.I can
    
    handle it! Nothing bothers me!
    
    Soon, the dorms were in front of them, and passed
    
    through the glass doors, quickly keying in their code
    
    number, and they entered through the heavy metal
    
    doors, one opening slowly to allow Usagi to enter.
    
     
    
    "Geez…this place makes me feel really secure when we
    
    have to go through that.What's next? Metal
    
    detectors?" Makoto asked, frustrated with all the
    
    security measures.
    
     
    
    "Don't even joke about that.They'll hear you and
    
    have them installed while we sleep."Usagi
    
    threatened, wagging her finger at Makoto.
    
     
    
    Makoto shuddered, then laughed as they got on the
    
    elevator to get to Makoto's floor. They exited a
    
    couple minutes later and made their way down the
    
    hallway with its the beige carpeting, the cream
    
    colored walls covered with declarations of welcome and
    
    small personal messages as well as caricatures of some
    
    of the floormates.
    
     
    
    "Well, these floors are so boring! At least yours has
    
    more decoration! Bah! I think my floor is full of the
    
    boring people.Move to the first floor and join me!"
    
    Usagi pleaded.
    
     
    
    Makoto laughed again, and lead her to her room.The
    
    door was covered with a large message board.Many
    
    notes littered it, some appearing more urgent than
    
    others.One name stood out, though…Rei.It can't be…
    
     
    
    "Welcome to my humble abode!" Makoto said with a
    
    flourish and waved her arm to encompass the small
    
    room.
    
     
    
    Usagi looked into the room cautiously, as if afraid
    
    something might eat her once she made her way into the
    
    whirlwind of what was supposed to be a small dorm
    
    room.She looked up at Makoto with wonderment and
    
    asked, "How do you live in this PIGSTYE?!Good lord,
    
    my room has never looked this bad!I can't even wheel
    
    my chair into here!" Usagi started to laugh as she
    
    stared at the floor littered with shirts, pants, and
    
    various other items.An odd stench was coming from
    
    the garbage can to her right, as if begging to be
    
    taken out from such a horrid place.
    
     
    
    Makoto rolled her eyes and glided past her to make a
    
    path out of all the…stuff on the floor.There was a
    
    small stuffed doll that looked like a man with a top
    
    hat on and a mask, what the heck could that be? 
    
    "There," Makoto paused in the shifting of objects from
    
    the middle of the floor to the other side of the room,
    
    "is that enough space, your majesty?"
    
     
    
    Usagi regally nodded, "Yes, my minion.Just enough
    
    space for my throne."She waved her right hand in a
    
    dismissal and pushed herself into the middle of the
    
    floor.Then grinning, she looked around again,
    
    recognizing some of the more familiar bands on the
    
    wall.L'arc en Ciel was on one wall, with the
    
    opposite wall a large poster from something called D N
    
    Angel.
    
     
    
    "I like it!" Usagi said happily to her new friend. 
    
    "Its perfectly suited to you, it seems."
    
     
    
    "Thanks!Also, in a belated thank you about the room
    
    when you first entered.I wasn't exactly expecting
    
    guests, you know."
    
     
    
    "Yeah, yeah.Nice excuse!Mine is always in perfect
    
    order."
    
     
    
    Makoto raised an eyebrow and stared at her in
    
    disbelief."Somehow, from what I know about you,
    
    that's really doubtful."
    
     
    
    They continued to talk about the past, and their
    
    hopeful future.Laughing and telling stories of their
    
    past, the time quickly slipped by.Soon, the sun was
    
    beginning to set out Makoto's window and Usagi turned.
    
     "I should really go back to my room and get myself
    
    better situated."
    
     
    
    Makoto led the way to the door and held went to open
    
    it when the doorknob turned on its own and in walked a
    
    tall, dark-haired girl.Usagi looked up and their
    
    eyes met.A rich violet and bright blue clashed, both
    
    pairs of eyes wide with shock.
    
     
    
    "YOU!" Usagi cried out.


End file.
